زَوَّجَ الماءَ بِاِبنَةِ العُنقودِ

زَوَّجَ الماءَ بِاِبنَةِ العُنقودِ

فَاِنجَلَت في قَلائِدٍ وَعُقودِ

فَاِنجَلَت في قَلائِدٍ وَعُقودِ

He wed water to the daughter of the grape cluster,

He married water to the daughter of the grape cluster,

and she appeared adorned in necklaces and chains.

And she shone forth in necklaces and strings of beads.

قُتِلَت بِالمِزاجِ ظُلماً فَقالَت

قُتِلَت بِالمِزاجِ ظُلماً فَقالَت

كَم قَتيلٍ كَما قُتِلتُ شَهيدِ

كَم قَتيلٍ كَما قُتِلتُ شَهيدِ

Slain unjustly by their blending, she said:

She was unjustly slain by dilution, and said:

“How many, slain as I was, are martyrs!”

How many victims, slain as I was, are martyrs!

طافَ يَسعى بِها أَغَنُّ حَكى ما

طافَ يَسعى بِها أَغَنُّ حَكى ما

في يَدَيهِ بِثَغرِهِ وَالخُدودِ

في يَدَيهِ بِثَغرِهِ وَالخُدودِ

A sweet-voiced cupbearer circled with her, hastening, reflecting what

A soft-voiced youth hurried round with her, mirroring what

was in his hands with his teeth and cheeks.

He held in his hands with his mouth and cheeks.

قَرَّبَ الكَأسَ نَحوَ عارِضِهِ الغَض

قَرَّبَ الكَأسَ نَحوَ عارِضِهِ الغَض

ضِ فَأَبدى العَتيقَ فَضلُ الجَديدِ

ضِ فَأَبدى العَتيقَ فَضلُ الجَديدِ

He brought the cup near the soft down of his cheek,

He brought the cup close to his tender cheek,

and the old wine revealed the youthful cheek’s superiority.

And the new one's splendor brought the aged wine to light.

فَغَدا التائِبونَ مِنّا نَدامى

فَغَدا التائِبونَ مِنّا نَدامى

وَالنَدامى في ظِلِّ عَيشٍ رَغيدِ

وَالنَدامى في ظِلِّ عَيشٍ رَغيدِ

Thus the penitents among us awoke regretful,

So the repentant among us became drinking companions,

while the drinking companions lived in the shade of ease.

And the drinking companions rested in the shade of a life of ease.

فَصَلَينا لَظىً وَأُزلِفَتِ الجَن

فَصَلَينا لَظىً وَأُزلِفَتِ الجَن

نَةُ لِلمُتَّقينَ غَيرَ بَعيدِ

نَةُ لِلمُتَّقينَ غَيرَ بَعيدِ

We sought the blaze, while the Garden was brought near—

So we burned in the blaze, while Paradise was brought near,

not far away—to the God-fearing.

To the God-fearing, not far away.

أَنا صَبٌّ قَضَت لَهُ شِرعَةُ العِش

أَنا صَبٌّ قَضَت لَهُ شِرعَةُ العِش

قِ بِأَلّا يَموتَ غَيرَ شَهيدِ

قِ بِأَلّا يَموتَ غَيرَ شَهيدِ

I am passion’s thrall; the law of love decreed for him

I am lovesick: the law of love decreed for me

that he should die no death but a martyr’s.

That I should die only as a martyr.

فَإِذا ما نَجوتُ مِن مَعرَكِ الأَل

فَإِذا ما نَجوتُ مِن مَعرَكِ الأَل

حاظِ لَم أَنجُ مِن كَمينِ القُدودِ

حاظِ لَم أَنجُ مِن كَمينِ القُدودِ

Even if I escape the battlefield of glances,

Whenever I escape the battlefield of glances,

I do not escape the ambush of slender forms.

I fail to escape the ambush of graceful figures.

كُلَّما أَخلَقَ التَجَلُّدُ وَجدي

كُلَّما أَخلَقَ التَجَلُّدُ وَجدي

جادَ داعي الهَوى بِوَجدٍ جَديدِ

جادَ داعي الهَوى بِوَجدٍ جَديدِ

Whenever endurance grows worn and my longing old,

Whenever self-restraint wears out my longing,

the summons of passion lavishes a new ecstasy—

Love's herald bestows fresh longing.

مِثلَ أَهلِ الجَحيمِ إِن تُذهِبِ الن

مِثلَ أَهلِ الجَحيمِ إِن تُذهِبِ الن

نارُ جُلوداً تَبَدَّلوا بِجُلودِ

نارُ جُلوداً تَبَدَّلوا بِجُلودِ

like the people of Hell: whenever the fire torments

Like the people of Hell: if the fire consumes

their skins, they exchange them for new skins.

Their skins, they take on other skins.

قَسَماً بِالمَطِيِّ مِثلَ الهَوادي

قَسَماً بِالمَطِيِّ مِثلَ الهَوادي

نَظَمَتها الحُداةُ نَظمَ العُقودِ

نَظَمَتها الحُداةُ نَظمَ العُقودِ

I swear by the riding beasts, advancing like guides,

I swear by the riding camels, like necks,

whom the camel-drivers strung together like necklaces.

Which the camel-drivers strung together like necklaces.

فَهيَ طَوراً قَلائِدُ القُلَلِ الشُم

فَهيَ طَوراً قَلائِدُ القُلَلِ الشُم

مِ وَطَوراً وِشاحُ خَصرِ البيدِ

مِ وَطَوراً وِشاحُ خَصرِ البيدِ

Now they are necklaces upon the lofty peaks,

At times they are necklaces on lofty peaks,

and now a sash around the desert’s waist.

And at times a sash around the deserts' waist.

نَكَبَت مَرتَعَ الشَآمِ وَأَمَّت

نَكَبَت مَرتَعَ الشَآمِ وَأَمَّت

نَحوَ مَرعىً أَحوى وَظِلٍّ مَديدِ

نَحوَ مَرعىً أَحوى وَظِلٍّ مَديدِ

They turned aside from Syria’s pasture and made for

They shunned the pastures of al-Sham and headed

a dark-green meadow and far-reaching shade.

Toward a dark-green pasture and far-stretching shade.

فَإِذا ما تَجاوَزَت حَرَّ حَرّا

فَإِذا ما تَجاوَزَت حَرَّ حَرّا

نَ أَناخَت بِبَردِ عَينِ البَرودِ

نَ أَناخَت بِبَردِ عَينِ البَرودِ

When they had passed beyond the heat of Harran,

And when they passed beyond the heat of Harran,

they knelt in the coolness of Ayn al-Barud.

They knelt in the coolness of Ayn al-Barud.

وَتَغانَت بِنَهرِ حَرزَمَ وَالغَر

وَتَغانَت بِنَهرِ حَرزَمَ وَالغَر

سَينِ عَن نَهرِ ثَورَةٍ وَيَزيدِ

سَينِ عَن نَهرِ ثَورَةٍ وَيَزيدِ

Nahr Harzam and al-Gharsayn sufficed for them

And contented themselves with Harzam's river and al-Gharsayn,

in place of the rivers Thawra and Yazid.

Instead of the rivers of Thawrah and Yazid.

لَقَدِ اِستَعصَمَت بِحِصنٍ حَصينٍ

لَقَدِ اِستَعصَمَت بِحِصنٍ حَصينٍ

حينَ لاذَت مِنها بِرُكنٍ شَديدِ

حينَ لاذَت مِنها بِرُكنٍ شَديدِ

They sought protection in an impregnable fortress

Indeed, they found shelter in an impregnable fortress,

when they took refuge from her beside a mighty pillar.

When one of them took refuge in a mighty support,

وَأَناخَت بِظِلِّ أَبلَجَ رَحبِ ال

وَأَناخَت بِظِلِّ أَبلَجَ رَحبِ ال

صَدرِ نَزرِ الأَقرانِ جَمِّ الحَسودِ

صَدرِ نَزرِ الأَقرانِ جَمِّ الحَسودِ

They knelt beneath the shade of a radiant man, broad of

And knelt in the shade of a radiant man, broad of

breast, scarce in peers and abundant in enviers—

Heart, with few equals and many enviers;

ساهِرِ النارِ راقِدِ الجارِ رَحبِ ال

ساهِرِ النارِ راقِدِ الجارِ رَحبِ ال

دارِ حَيِّ الأَكنافِ مَيتِ الحُقودِ

دارِ حَيِّ الأَكنافِ مَيتِ الحُقودِ

whose fire stays wakeful while his neighbor sleeps, broad of

With a wakeful fire, a sleeping neighbor, a spacious

house, enlivening the lands around him, dead to grudges;

House, lively precincts, and dead grudges;

بِطَويلِ النِجادِ ضَيَّقَ باعَ ال

بِطَويلِ النِجادِ ضَيَّقَ باعَ ال

عُذرِ سَمحٍ قَصيرِ عُمرِ الوُعودِ

عُذرِ سَمحٍ قَصيرِ عُمرِ الوُعودِ

tall of sword-belt, sparing in the reach of

With a long sword-baldric, he curtails the reach of

excuses, generous, whose promises swiftly pass into fulfillment:

Excuses; generous, his promises have brief lives.

خَيرَ أَبناءِ أُرتُقَ المَلِكِ الصا

خَيرَ أَبناءِ أُرتُقَ المَلِكِ الصا

لِحِ شَمسِ الدينِ الفَريدِ الوَحيدِ

لِحِ شَمسِ الدينِ الفَريدِ الوَحيدِ

the best of Artuq’s sons, the righteous king,

The best of Artuq's sons, King al-Salih,

Shams al-Din, the peerless and unique.

Shams al-Din, peerless and unique.

مَلِكٌ أَنفَدَ الذَوابِلَ بِالنَق

مَلِكٌ أَنفَدَ الذَوابِلَ بِالنَق

لِ وَأَفنى الصِفاحَ بِالتَقليدِ

لِ وَأَفنى الصِفاحَ بِالتَقليدِ

A king who spent the supple lances in the charge

A king who exhausted his supple spears by passing them on,

and wore the sword blades away by girding them on;

And used up his sword-blades by girding others with them.

حامِلٌ مِن شَدائِدِ المُلكِ ماحُم

حامِلٌ مِن شَدائِدِ المُلكِ ماحُم

مِلَ قِدماً سَمِيُّهُ مِن ثَمودِ

مِلَ قِدماً سَمِيُّهُ مِن ثَمودِ

a bearer of the kingdom’s hardships, like the burden

Bearing, of kingship's hardships, what was borne

once borne by his namesake among Thamud;

Long ago by his namesake among Thamud.

مِن أُناسٍ إِذا تَمَنَّعَتِ العَل

مِن أُناسٍ إِذا تَمَنَّعَتِ العَل

ياءُ كانوا مِنها كَحَبلِ الوَريدِ

ياءُ كانوا مِنها كَحَبلِ الوَريدِ

descended from men who, when the heights held themselves aloof,

From a people who, when high glory proved inaccessible,

drew as near to them as the jugular vein.

Were as close to it as the jugular vein.

عَرَفوا الزَحفَ قَبلَ مَعرِفَةِ القُم

عَرَفوا الزَحفَ قَبلَ مَعرِفَةِ القُم

طِ وَحَلّوا السُروجَ قَبلَ المُهودِ

طِ وَحَلّوا السُروجَ قَبلَ المُهودِ

They knew the battle advance before they knew swaddling bands,

They knew the march to war before they knew swaddling bands,

and mounted saddles before they knew cradles.

And settled into saddles before cradles.

أَيُّها الماجِدُ الَّذي حَمَلَ الأَث

أَيُّها الماجِدُ الَّذي حَمَلَ الأَث

قالَ في طاعَةِ الحَميدِ المَجيدِ

قالَ في طاعَةِ الحَميدِ المَجيدِ

O glorious one who has borne the burdens

O illustrious one who bore the burdens

in obedience to the Praiseworthy, the Glorious:

In obedience to the Praiseworthy, the Glorious:

لا تَكُن خائِفاً سِوى اللَهِ شَيئاً

لا تَكُن خائِفاً سِوى اللَهِ شَيئاً

إِنَّها مِن شَواهِدِ التَوحيدِ

إِنَّها مِن شَواهِدِ التَوحيدِ

fear nothing other than God,

Fear nothing except God;

for such fear is among the testimonies to divine oneness.

This is among the signs of God's oneness.

فَإِذا زادَتِ الحَوادِثُ حَدّاً

فَإِذا زادَتِ الحَوادِثُ حَدّاً

كانَ نَقصُ الكَمالِ في المَحدودِ

كانَ نَقصُ الكَمالِ في المَحدودِ

When calamities increase beyond all measure,

If calamities exceed a limit,

what mars perfection is only its being bounded.

The lack of perfection lies in the limited one.

كَم جُموعٍ فَلَّلتَها بِحُسامٍ

كَم جُموعٍ فَلَّلتَها بِحُسامٍ

شَرِقِ الصَفحَتَينِ ظامي الخُدودِ

شَرِقِ الصَفحَتَينِ ظامي الخُدودِ

How many hosts have you shattered with a saber

How many armies you shattered with a sharp sword,

gleaming on both faces, its cheeks athirst!

Its two faces choking with blood, its cheeks thirsty!

فَغَدوا وَالرُؤوسُ فَوقَ صِعادٍ

فَغَدوا وَالرُؤوسُ فَوقَ صِعادٍ

وَجِسامُ الجُسومِ تَحتَ الصَعيدِ

وَجِسامُ الجُسومِ تَحتَ الصَعيدِ

They were left with their heads upon spear shafts

They ended with their heads atop spears,

and their massive bodies beneath the earth.

And their massive bodies beneath the soil.

يا إِمامَ السَخا وَصِنوَ المَعالي

يا إِمامَ السَخا وَصِنوَ المَعالي

وَنَبِيَّ النَدى وَرَبَّ الجودِ

وَنَبِيَّ النَدى وَرَبَّ الجودِ

O imam of munificence, twin of lofty deeds,

O leader of generosity, twin of lofty honors,

prophet of generosity and lord of bounty!

And prophet of bounty, lord of munificence!

نَقَدَتكَ العَلياءُ إِذ أَعوَزَ الكُف

نَقَدَتكَ العَلياءُ إِذ أَعوَزَ الكُف

ءَ لَدَيها فَكُنتَ أَغلى النُقودِ

ءَ لَدَيها فَكُنتَ أَغلى النُقودِ

High rank minted you when it could find no equal

Glory assayed you when an equal was wanting

in its own eyes, and so you became the dearest coin.

For her, and you proved the most precious of coins.

فَإِذا آلُ أُرتُقٍ حاوَلوا الفَخ

فَإِذا آلُ أُرتُقٍ حاوَلوا الفَخ

رَ بِماضي الحُدودِ أَو بِالجُدودِ

رَ بِماضي الحُدودِ أَو بِالجُدودِ

Whenever the house of Artuq seeks to boast

Whenever the house of Artuq sought to boast

of sharp edges or of forefathers,

Of keen edges or ancestry,

كُنتَ مَلقى العَصا وَواسِطَةَ العِق

كُنتَ مَلقى العَصا وَواسِطَةَ العِق

دِ وَقُطبَ الرَحى وَبَيتَ القَصيدِ

دِ وَقُطبَ الرَحى وَبَيتَ القَصيدِ

you are the journey’s end and the necklace’s central jewel,

You were the staff's resting place, the necklace's centerpiece,

the millstone’s pivot and the house of the ode.

The millstone's pivot, and the poem's crowning verse.

فَلَوَ اَنَّ الزَمانَ يَنطِقُ يَوماً

فَلَوَ اَنَّ الزَمانَ يَنطِقُ يَوماً

قالَ هَذا إِنسانُ عَينِ الوُجودِ

قالَ هَذا إِنسانُ عَينِ الوُجودِ

If time itself could speak one day,

If Time were one day to speak,

it would say, “This is the pupil of existence’s eye.”

It would say: This is the pupil of existence's eye.

وَإِذا الدَهرُ خَطَّ حَولَكَ طِرساً

وَإِذا الدَهرُ خَطَّ حَولَكَ طِرساً

كانَ عُنوانُهُ أَقَلَّ العَبيدِ

كانَ عُنوانُهُ أَقَلَّ العَبيدِ

And if the age inscribed a page around you,

And if Time wrote a page about you,

its title would be “The Least of His Slaves.”

Its heading would be: The humblest of slaves.

يا مَليكاً إِذا عُزيتَ لِفَخرٍ

يا مَليكاً إِذا عُزيتَ لِفَخرٍ

كانَ مِن بِرِّهِ وُجودي وَجودي

كانَ مِن بِرِّهِ وُجودي وَجودي

O king, whenever you are ascribed to glory,

O king, whenever you are credited with glory,

your goodness gave me both my being and my bounty.

My existence and my generosity come from his kindness.

أَنتَ عَلَّمتَني التَجَرّي عَلى الدَه

أَنتَ عَلَّمتَني التَجَرّي عَلى الدَه

رِ وَفَتكي بِكُلِّ خَطبٍ شَديدِ

رِ وَفَتكي بِكُلِّ خَطبٍ شَديدِ

You taught me boldness in defying time

You taught me to dare defy Time,

and striking at every grave calamity.

And to strike down every grievous ordeal.

فَإِذا ما أَمَرتُ دَهري بِأَمرٍ

فَإِذا ما أَمَرتُ دَهري بِأَمرٍ

خِلتُ أَنَّ الأَيّامَ بَعضُ جُنودي

خِلتُ أَنَّ الأَيّامَ بَعضُ جُنودي

Whenever I command my fate to do a thing,

Whenever I give my time a command,

I imagine the days themselves are some of my soldiers.

I fancy that the days are some of my troops.

وَبِكَ اِستَعذَبَ المُلوكُ كَلامي

وَبِكَ اِستَعذَبَ المُلوكُ كَلامي

وَرَعوا حَقَّ حُرمَتي وَعُهودي

وَرَعوا حَقَّ حُرمَتي وَعُهودي

Through you, kings have found my speech sweet

Through you, kings found my speech sweet,

and honored my sanctity and my covenants.

And honored my dignity's due and my covenants.

فَمِنَ الجَهلِ أَن أَرومَ أُجازي

فَمِنَ الجَهلِ أَن أَرومَ أُجازي

كَ بِمَعنى رِسالَةٍ أَو قَصيدِ

كَ بِمَعنى رِسالَةٍ أَو قَصيدِ

It would be ignorance for me to seek to repay

So it would be folly for me to try to repay

you with the substance of an epistle or an ode,

You with the sense of a letter or a poem,

أَو أَصوغَ الأَشعارَ يَومَ هَناءٍ

أَو أَصوغَ الأَشعارَ يَومَ هَناءٍ

يَشمَلُ المَلكَ أَو أُهَنّي بِعيدِ

يَشمَلُ المَلكَ أَو أُهَنّي بِعيدِ

or to fashion verses on a day of rejoicing

Or compose verses for a day of joy

that embrace the king or congratulate him upon a feast.

That embraces the king, or offer greetings for a feast.

غَيرَ أَنَّ الإِلَهَ يَجزيكَ إِذ لَم

غَيرَ أَنَّ الإِلَهَ يَجزيكَ إِذ لَم

يَكُ غَيرَ الثَناءِ مِن مَجهودي

يَكُ غَيرَ الثَناءِ مِن مَجهودي

Only God can reward you, since

Yet God will reward you, since nothing

praise alone was the utmost of my effort.

But praise is within my power.

فَاِستَمِعها بِكراً حَماها ضِياءُ ال

فَاِستَمِعها بِكراً حَماها ضِياءُ ال

حِسِّ مِنّي عَن ظُلمَةِ التَعقيدِ

حِسِّ مِنّي عَن ظُلمَةِ التَعقيدِ

So hear it—a virgin poem whose radiance of

So hear her, a virgin guarded by the light of

beauty has shielded her from the darkness of complication.

My perception against the darkness of complexity.

هَجَّنَت شِعرَ كُلِّ مَن عَقَدَ القا

هَجَّنَت شِعرَ كُلِّ مَن عَقَدَ القا

فَ جَميعاً لا جَروَلٍ وَلَبيدِ

فَ جَميعاً لا جَروَلٍ وَلَبيدِ

She has made the verse of every weaver of rhyme seem mongrel—

She has shamed the verse of all who bound the rhyme-letter qaf,

all of them alike, neither Jarwal nor Labid excepted.

All of them—not Jarwal and Labid alone.

وَاِبقَ طولَ الزَمانِ تُفني وَتُغني

وَاِبقَ طولَ الزَمانِ تُفني وَتُغني

وَتُهَنّى بِكُلِّ عيدٍ جَديدِ

وَتُهَنّى بِكُلِّ عيدٍ جَديدِ

Remain throughout the length of time, bringing things to completion and enriching,

Live on throughout time, destroying and enriching,

and be congratulated upon every new feast.

And be congratulated on every new feast.